Agartala, Mar 05, Mar 05, 2023, TRIPURA TIMES Desk
Agartala, Mar 05: The leaders of CPM opined that split in Anti-BJP votes helped BJP to return to power for the second term with a slender majority. BJP’s vote percentage slashed by over 11 per cent and around 60 per cent of voters did not support the saffron party, yet division in the Opposition votes pave way for the BJP, said CPM State secretary Jitendra Choudhury while addressing a press meeting in Agartala on Sunday.
According to Choudhury, 2 digit reduction in BJP’s vote percentage indicates its ‘moral defeat’.
Without saying that TIPRA Motha played a spoilsport for the CPM-Congress, Choudhury commented, “BJP’s number of seats reduced to 32 seats – down by four seats compared to the 2018 election. Moreover, it lost the support of more than 11 per cent of voters in the 2023 election. Despite the moral defeat, BJP managed to attain majority owing to vote division”.
Notably, Left Front’s vote share was halved drastically down to 26.80 per cent and the number of seats came down to 11 seats contesting 47 seats – down by five seats compared to 2018. Moreover, the Left Front failed to win a single ST reserved seat in 2023.
He, however, did not explain the reasons behind his party’s dismal performance in the 2023 election saying that a detailed analysis of the results is yet to be completed. He pointed out that an initial reaction to the election result was already given by the Left Front. The initial reaction suggested that the ‘unethical’ use of administration and ‘huge money power’ BJP won the election.
Choudhury also commented on the violence that erupted after the counting of votes. He held the ruling party supporters for violence but maintained silence over the terror unleashed by TIPRA Motha supporters.
The CPM State secretary informed the media that a three-member team, comprising of he himself, LF Convener Narayan Kar and CPM leader Tapan Chakraborty, went to meet Chief Secretary JK Sinha and handed over a memorandum detailing 58 incidences of violence and urging to call all-party meetings to quell the violence and ensure post poll peace in the State.